The Greed In A Soul
by Laser Lance 720
Summary: The answers Tom was searching for lay in an old musty book entitled 'Secrets of the Dark Arts'. In there, he will find what he desires, but can he control his greed for immortality and power, or will the temptation prove to be the start of his downfall?


Written for the **Prompt Mania **(Choose One Prompt from each category and an additional 1-2 prompts of your choice, Song: Run Boy Run, Word: Ivory, Dialogue: 'You cannot be serious', other: Sordid, Extra: Jagged), **Scavenger Hunt** (43. A fic about a half-blood {AKA Tom Riddle}), **Variety of Prompts Challenge **(location, restricted section.) and the **Seven Deadly Sins Challenge** (Avarice, Aka Greed: desire to possess wealth, goods, power, etc., with the intent to keep for one's self; high desire for wealth, status, and power)

I think that's about it. Oh ya, I don't own the Harry Potter franchise; or more to the point for this case, I don't own Tom Riddle.

-oOo-  
-oOo-  
-oOo-  
Tomorrow is another day,  
and when the night fades away,  
you'll be a man, boy!  
But for now it's time to run, time to run.  
-WOODKID  
-oOo-  
-oOo-  
-oOo-

Standing in the restricted section; camped out well passed the hours of curfew, holding _Magick Moste Evile_ under the light of the lantern, Tom narrowed his eyes at what he was reading. The introduction for this chapter was quite large, detailing the Life of Herpo the Foul; the most known creator of the item he was studying. Once the item in question for was reached, Tom smirked in hopes that this was what he was searching for. He read quickly, noting that while the book did not give him the information he was looking for, it did provide him with the same view that countless books before had. Referring to the object as a 'sordid piece of magic' that left the soul 'jagged and uneven', Tom reluctantly closed the covers, realizing that it wasn't going to give the information the seventeen year old was looking for. For a second he pondered just how dark his searches were, before brushing off the feeling and glancing back at the shelf.

Sighing, he shoved the book back into its place, prying another from the settled dust. After several minutes of skimming through (and wondering why all the books in this section were useless), he angrily shoved it back as well. He almost gave up, until his eyes spotted the crowning jewel of the night: _Secrets of the Dark Arts_.

His ivory white skin shined a sick color under the light of the lamp. He appeared a ghost reaching out through the shadow of night, and snatching the book from the shelf, a deadly greed in his fingers. Taking the book, he flipped open the cover, running his finger down the Table of Contents until he found the chapter he required.

"Page 476." He mouthed as he flipped to the page in question. Once there, he couldn't help but smile at the bold faced word before him.

"Horcrux." He mouthed, skimming over the words before him. It was infuriating, seven books into his search, and he finally found the one he needed. It was all right there under his fingers, spread out in black ink over musty pages.

"Let's see…"

'_The theory, and process, of the creation of a Horcrux begins, and ends with the tearing of soul. The magick involved is not to be taken upon by those with a light heart. It is through the commitments of great evil that this magick thrives.  
The process of creating a Horcrux is extremely gruesome. The act requires the destruction of not just the maker's soul, but, as well, the complete annihilation of the sacrifices soul through the most supreme of all evil; murder. Both souls most be fractured, or the final outcome will be incomplete as the maker's soul will not combine, but prove to be repudiate to the procedure.'_

Tom nodded along, taking in only one thing from the passage. Murder. Murder was required. To tear his soul, place him among the steps of immortality, he would have to first end a life. The thought didn't unnerve him as much as it should have.

'_The creation of a Horcrux requires very little steps, but each is intricate. The smallest of missed details will prove to make the course of action, as well as the desired by product, for naught.  
To begin, the maker must have on hand the item they wish to make into a Horcrux, as well as the sacrifice.  
It must be understood that to tear one's soul such as needed, one must perform murder. Only through the deliberate, and intentional taking of a life, may the caster activate the magick needed. It is not enough to simply take a life. The act of murder tears a segment through one's soul, but it does not provide the necessary force in order to tear the broken fragment of soul from one's body.  
The following step is not to be taken lightly. In order to sever the soul completely, it must be put to extreme violence. The taking of a life is such evil against the soul that it causes the initial tear, but the act of self-torture, self-mutilation is the final step in removing the threads that hold it together. Only through the suffering at your own hands, will your soul begin to pry itself apart. It is not specified what form of torture must be inflicted, only known that it is through the self-inflicted violence that the fragment separates further. I recommend the Cruciatus Curse.'_

"You cannot be serious!"

Tom stopped in that moment, rereading the passage to make sure he had read it correctly. Of course more than just murder would be needed, but to inflict torture upon himself? It made sense in theory. He remembered his research into the Cruciatus Curse, noting the theory that those who didn't recover from it, were due to the destruction caused on their soul from prolonged exposure. With that thought in mind, he understood how the pain would further tear at his soul, but he wasn't sure eager to attempt to turn his wand onto himself. He didn't even know if it were possible to do.

Saving that not for a later day, Tom turned his gaze back onto the words before him.

_'The shattered section; the one broken by the murder, and separated by the torture, while begin to 'blacken' in a sense. Once this occurs, your body will attempt to repel the blacked soul, giving you the chance to release and then recapture it into the desired object.  
To remove the portion of soul, place wand against chest (make note to have item intended to become Horcrux in non-wand dominated hand).  
The incantation 'Lorem Atrati Animea' is to be pronounced. Once so, the location of the soul chip will leave a dark black mist like form against your body. Navigate wand tip into center of fog.  
The incantation 'Tolle Animam Filo,' will due to sever the final bond, and pry one's soul segment away from the rest. A sharp tug will be felt through the chest.  
In order to completely remove one's soul, a third incantation in required. Should complications arise during this final stage, death will result. By tearing, and removing the section of soul, you leave yourself in a delicate position, the slightest of hands could prove to shatter the portion desired to be removed, as well as the remainder. Causes in which death has been brought about as a failure to complete process correctly can be found on page 845, Notable Deaths of Dark Magick.'_

He paused once more, thumbing through the pages until he saw it written in old fashion letters; Notable Deaths of Dark Magick. The list was long; the section under Horcrux, such a length that Tom briefly wondered if it were even possible for him to do this. If so many people had died during this process, what was to keep him alive?

Shaking off the nagging fear, he turned back to the needed chapter. He would be able to do this. Be it his pride in his abilities, or his greed for immortality, he resigned himself from not letting this defeat him.

_'Still touching wand to skin, the following incantation is used to completely pry the soul from the body:  
'Profunde secundrum mali per me animam meam,  
Hic animus Propugnativ perctore,  
Eruea lacus, in medio domus,  
Immortalilatem enim me anima me.'  
Pronunciation must be precise, or as previously noted, death will come swift to the failure.  
If successful, you will know immediately. The chanter will find himself alive, and in an intense level of pain. Do not lose your grip on your wand will the pain subdues to a manageable discomfort. The soreness will remain for several days.  
From the caster's wand, there will be a soft, wisp like vapour being admitted; much similar to the vapour brought forth when dealing with memories. The vapour (the fractured piece of soul) will remain attached to the tip of the wand, until placed into the object designed to become a Horcrux. As the soul vapour is extremely unstable at this point, it will latch onto the first thing it touches. To attach the soul fragment to the desired object, simply place over the item, and allow the soul vapour to flow inside. No incarnations are needed at this point, as the soul will be eager to find a shell to survive in.  
Once the soul fragment is placed, it will be near impossible to reattach together. The only way to mend the soul pieces is to feel true and complete remorse for the evil committed in its creation. To attempt this is highly dangerous. The pain of it could kill a man. For this reason, it is recommended that the creation of a Horcrux be reserved to those serious about its creation, and quest for immortality.  
Side effects of Horcrux creation are (but not limited to):'_

Tom stopped reading at this point. The side effects list was short, but he no longer wished to read. In the distance, he could have sworn he heard the library door opening, but quickly calmed in the silence that overshadowed him. The chapter continued to discuss the side effect, leading into various theories along the same lines. He lost interest in reading further, instead allowing his mind to wander of the subject.

It must have been his growing greed, for the question that rose in his mind; what if he made more than one? The text had made no mention of multiple attempts at making a Horcrux, but Tom couldn't help but wonder if it were possible. And if so, how many could be made before the soul was no longer divisible?

-oOo-  
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-oOo-

And that leads into him going to Slughorn for more info. Hope you enjoyed.

My idea of Horcrux creation came from some brief research. I figured there had to be more than just killing involved, and after reading that J.K Rowling had the actual process written down and after having her editor read it, he was mortified, I figured it had to be something pretty awful. Three thoughts popped into my head; Cannibalism (eating the person you killed), Necrophilia (some really sick thoughts here), and Self-Mutilation (Crucio yourself). In the end I went with the last idea, because Cannibalism just didn't seem enough to rip the soul, and Necrophilia really scares me. So why not break the soul with pain? It has to be something really severe in order to do this process, otherwise Voldemort could have made forty billion with everyone he killed.

It kind of make sense with how Harry became one, because he didn't eat Lily or anything along those lines. But a rebound killing curse, that's some violence that could tear a soul. Either way, that's my theory.

A final note, I am aware that magic is spelled magick in several locations. That's like the old spelling of it, and seeing as how that book is extremely old, it makes sense to use that form of the word. Nothing really important, just a spelling note.


End file.
